Information for Parents & Guardians Holiday Cycling Courses The Council provides free cycle training courses for children in the holidays. There is no cost to you. To join in pupils must be able to cycle unaided and be in Year 5, 6 or 7. All you have to do is provide a roadworthy bike. This pack provides you with all the information you need for your child to participate and get the most out of the course. Cyclinginstructor.com is the council s provider for cycle training and there is more information about us on our website. The aim of the course is to introduce your child to cycling on the road in controlled conditions. The course will be in school time. The wearing of helmets is a decision left to the discretion of the parent or guardian.
Outline of cycling course (times act as a guideline). Times will be confirmed with the instructor during session 1. Session 1 Bike Check and Helmet fitting Control skills in playground Session 2 First on road session Session 3 Second on road session Session 4 Third on road session
Consent form Please complete the online consent form. If we do not have a signed consent form for a trainee, we cannot allow them to participate in the course. Attendance The course is sequential and incremental. If a trainee does not attend a session they may be excluded from further sessions. Roadworthy Bike In order to participate in the course you must supply a roadworthy bike that fits the trainee properly. On the first day of the course we will check the bike and make minor adjustments and identify any big problems. If we do not think the bike is roadworthy your child will not be able to be on the course. A short method of checking the bike yourself and what to look for when buying a new bike, is at the end of this leaflet. What to wear It is important that your child wear the correct clothes for cycling. Full details are on our web site. Clothes should be comfortable. Your child should wear Shoes or trainers Gloves if it is cold Coats if it is cold Socks to keep their feet warm and to tuck the bottoms of their trousers into Girls should wear trousers. What will the course cover? Session 1 All the bikes are checked for road worthiness Each group will have 1.5 hours in the playground to check their control skills. We will ensure that your child has the necessary control skills to cycle on the road. Only if the instructors are satisfied that the trainee has good control skills and can behave responsibly will the trainee progress to the on road portion of the course. Session 2 Your child will begin their on road cycle training. They will be in a group of up to 10 trainees with two fully qualified cycling instructors. The instructors will take them to
an area where the roads are quiet but have some traffic. They will cover such topics as: The correct position to take when cycling on the road. What to do when near other vehicles on the road. The importance on looking behind and signalling. The meaning of road markings Session 3 & 4 In these lessons, the instructors will again take them to an area where the roads are quiet but have some traffic. In this session, we will build on the previous and introduce them too: What to do at road junctions. Who has right of way. How to turn right from a major to a minor road How to turn left into a minor road. How to turn right from a major into a minor road.
How to check your bike To see if there are any problems with your bike check the following items. Using this M Check will ensure that you do not miss any items. Start at the front, Point A and work your way to B, C, and D to E at the back of the bike. Front wheel: Check to see if: Quick-release or wheel-nuts loose. Hub bearings loose or binding. Spokes loose, broken or missing Front Tyre: Check to see if Under-inflated /punctured Worn or cracked Front brake: check to see if Front wheel locks when the brake lever is pulled Brake pads rubbing tyre or wheel rim Brake pads missing Headset and handlebars: check to see if The forks are damaged
Headset loose Handlebars are not clamped tightly How to check your bike Frame: check to see if: Frame not bent or damaged Crank and Front gear: check to see if Gear moves the chain from one sprocket to another Sprocket not bent Crank shaft not loose Pedals not loose Seat and seat post: check to see if: Saddle does not move Seat post does not move Rear Brake: Check as for front brake Rear wheel: check as for front wheel Rear tyre: check as for front tyre Rear gear: check as for front gear
Buying a bicycle If a bicycle is too small for the rider, pedalling and steering is awkward. If a bicycle is too big, stopping and starting is difficult and dangerous. Please do not be tempted to buy a bike that is too big so your child can grow into it. To help you make sure the bicycle fits the rider, check that your child: Can reach the handlebars without stretching. Is not learning too far forward Can easily reach and use the brake levers Can touch the ground with both feet while sitting on the saddle. With the seat post raised to its maximum height cannot touch the ground with either foot. These checks will help you choose the right bicycle for your child. They can also be used to re-check the riding position regularly. Try to go to a specialist bike shop; there will be a wide choice and expert advice. Take your child with you so they can try out the bike. Ask about the after-sales service. Helmets should fit properly, it should sit firmly on the head and you should be able to run one finger between the strap and face. Ask the shop to help you if you are not sure. If you are going to buy a second-hand cycle, check its condition carefully. In particular, look at the saddle, tyres and the paintwork. Ask how old it is, how it has been used and looked after. Signs that it has had a heavy knock are bent forks, wrinkled paint or a twisted frame. If you buy a second-hand bike privately, it is a good idea to have it checked over by a bike shop.